Sony PlayTV backtrack: recordings not transferable, no HD at launch

Sony's PlayTV, an add-on TV tuner that will turn the PS3 into a PVR, has suffered another setback. Not only has the European release of the device been delayed until September 19th, but Sony has now disclosed that recorded video files will not be transferable to PSP, PC or MemoryStick, contrary to their initial specifications.

Anyone wanting to watch recorded content on their PSP, therefore, will have to use Remote Play via a link to their PS3. Moreover, Sony has confirmed that PlayTV will not be able to record High Definition broadcasts at launch, and will require an update later on once the company has finalized the feature.

Sony had originally stated that files recorded through PlayTV would be free of DRM and therefore easy to swap between devices. The company did not give a reason for why this had changed, though it's not difficult to imagine content providers would not have been pleased about digital copies of their media being passed around.